Registered Nurse (RN)

Registered Nurse (RN)

Overview & Introduction

A great deal of attention has been devoted to the topic of reflection and to the development of reflective practitioners. By itself, however, reflection is not necessarily critical (Brookfield 2005; Ecclestone 2006). To engage in critical reflection requires moving beyond the acquisition of new knowledge and understanding, into questioning [of] existing assumptions, values, and perspectives. (Foley, 2005) Four elements are central to critical reflection: assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism (Brookfield 1988, p. 325). Assisting adults in undertaking critical reflection is a frequently espoused aim of adult education (e.g., Bright 2006; Brookfield 1994; Millar 2001) but it is a goal that is not easily achieved. This Alert identifies some of the trends and issues related to teaching adults to be critically reflective.

The most important reason to study Critical Thinking is to make the best possible decisions for our patients.

Selection of appropriate nursing diagnoses and interventions depends on a high degree of accuracy, scrutiny, and critical thinking. Patient responses to our nursing diagnoses are complex and diverse enough to require careful scrutiny of how we arrive at our decisions.

Critical Thinking in nursing is an essential component of professional accountability and quality nursing care. Critical thinkers in nursing exhibit these habits of the mind: Confidence, Contextual perspective, Creativity, Flexibility, Inquisitiveness, Intuition, Open-mindedness, Perseverance, and Reflection. (Donner, 2005)

Critical thinkers in nursing practice the cognitive skills of:

Analyzing, Applying Standards, Discriminating, Information Seeking, Logical Reasoning, Predicting and Transforming knowledge.”

The philosophy of nursing is defined as the intellectual and affective outcomes of the professional nurse s efforts to:

1) Understand the ultimate relationships between humans, their environment, and health

2) Approach nursing as a scientific discipline

3) Integrate a sense of values; and

4) Articulate a personal belief system about human beings, environment, health, and nursing as a process, according to Leddy & Pepper (1998).

Function

To understand the ultimate relationships between humans, their environment and health is to care for them. Caring so that each person is treated as a unique and special individual regardless of where he or she lives and where he or she is from. Nursing must truly care for and be sensitive with the needs of others. Nursing must set goals to promote the well being of patients and their families. Nurses are to use their knowledge and skill to provide the care that is appropriate for and required by patients. Nurses must provide care according to the standards that have been set by the profession. This requires an ongoing critical assessment of one s professional nursing practice by self and others. This process enables nurses to improve their knowledge and skill so that patients and their families benefit. Nurses integrate a sense of value by reflecting on their personal experiences and examine their personal beliefs regarding patient care. (Donner, 2005)

The nurse can reflect on the reasons for choosing nursing as a career. It's important to reflect on one s character because personal qualities and characteristics help determine trust in a ...